'All my work is about this community': Artist draws inspiration from Sikh-Punjabi diaspora

Gurpreet Sehra is comfortable confronting things that aren't comfortable.

The Winnipeg artist does just that in one of her newer pieces, Caste a painting that details the different castes on a circa-1780 map of the Punjab region of India.

"It is a way to talk about things in society that are not necessarily easy to talk about," said Sehra, who is a first-generation Sikh-Punjabi Canadian.

That identity, and her experiences, informSehra's work in print making, painting, video art and sculpture, she said.

"All my work is about this community."

Sehra's life in art is the subject of anew short film by Winnipeg filmmaker Mandeep Sodhi.

The film about Sehra is the finalshort film in Our Culture, Our Art a four-part video series by Sodhi profiling South Asian artists in Manitoba, created forCBC Manitoba's Creator Network.

The four-part series was produced in conjunction withCBC Manitoba's pop-up remote newsroom bureau and community spacein Garden CityCentre in late 2021.

You can see thefirst film, about artist Azka Ahmed and their journey from spoken word poet to visual artist,here.

In the second film in the series,Seema Goelexplains how a lie she told to a hitchhiker led heron a lifelong path in art. You can watchher short filmhere.

And in the third film, which you can watch here,filmmaking sisters Saira and Nilufer Rahmanremember their dad's passion for storytelling.

About the filmmaker

Mandeep Sodhiis a screenwriter, cinematographer and director based in Winnipeg since 2011. He has more than 13 years of experience in the film industry in India, the United States and Canada.

He has won two national awards in India for his docudramas, and his music videos have been nominated for national and international Music Awards in India, Asia and Sierra Leone.

In 2015, Mandeep won theACTRA Manitoba Golden Boy awardfor most outstanding member initiated project for his short filmThe Perfect Little Plan.

He has written and directed for television and has had his works broadcaston Bell MTS, Super Channel and various on-demand platforms. His film company isSodhi Creative Films.